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Saturday, February 12, 2011

Wild Energy

Good morning!
So, as you all know one of my goals is to start bringing up my energy instead of bringing up my phases.

Well on Tuesday I already saw a difference. She had been normal while we played in the arena, maybe a little extra spunk during the figure 8.
I was in for a surprise when I put her on the 22 foot line and took her out for some hill therapy. I asked her to trot from a stop by bringing up my energy. I barely picked up the stick and then BAM! She took off galloping and bucking. I have to admit she did drag me several feet. I got her to bend to a stop and had to take a breather. I knew not to punish her. But I didn't know how to deal with this. I asked her to go out again and walk. Then change direction...at a walk. I used this to move her feet while I thought. When I decided to try again and see how she reacted I just brought up my energy again. This time I didn't even touch the carrot stick. She shot forward bucking and twisting. The difference she didn't exactly drag me...she stayed on the circle. She did jerk me around quite a bit. Again I had to bend her to a stop because she had pulled a muscle in my arm from pulling. I let her graze and I decided to put her up. I didn't know how to react and I didn't want to get hurt or hurt Sharlie. I needed help from my friends.

I wasn't able to go down again till yesturday- Friday. I haltered Sharlie and we went for a walk around the field. As we were coming back up toward where we started, I decided to unclip the leadrope to see if she would stay with me. I had barely brought up my energy when she bolted, nicking me on my leg in the process. After making sure I wasn't bleeding (just a really bad bruise) I thought about what happened. I noticed that Sharlie was standing about 10 -15 yards away still watching me with her ears pricked forward. She was playing. So I limped over to her (it hurt!) and played a bit of driving game. Then I asked her to trot around me. She...offered way more. She shot around the ENTIRE pasture and then returned to me, asking questions. I asked her to go around the other way and she shot off bucking and snorting again- all the while with her ears pricked. This time however she didn't cross the stream and came back around to me.

However. While Sharlie and I were playing Casper became RBE. He would follow Sharlie but then he went to hide behind a tree.

After playing in the field I got her to calm down a bit and played Friendly Game. Then I clipped the leadrope back on and we went over to the round pen. I felt I could use this energy to good. It was really muddy so she couldn't go bolting off. She could go as fast as a trot.

It went extremely well. She stuck by me the whole time, not leaving once. Walking and trotting together, sending her over the jump, figure 8 at the walk and trot! Her drive was good, but her draw was even better :) It made me so proud.

So after that I put her up and went up to halter Casper. I noticed he was a bit reserved. Probably still a little RBE from Sharlie and me playing. So I lead him down to the bottom of the field on the other side of the stream and just sat down. He stayed at the other end of the rope, keeping it taunt. After a few minutes I leaned over and curled up into a ball. All I could see was the material of my jeans. Then...I felt a snuffling nose on my back. We stayed there for a bit but then I decided to go sit on the bench by the tack room as the grass I was sitting on was wet from recently melted snow.

And so I just sat down on the picnic table and we just stood there. Then just as Mom pulled up he relaxed by lowering his head and cocking his leg. Mission achieved.